I thought you guys would find this interesting. ESPN.com ranks the best Canes teams of all time:
TheMiami Hurricanes have won five national championships, a total that tops their two in-state rivals, Florida and Florida State, who each have three.
So where do those Miami title squads rank among the best Hurricanes teams of all time?
To find out, I set up a grading system that is customized to measure many factors of Miami's greatest teams.
The system uses a weighted bell curve that places a heavy emphasis on winning national championships, but also gives significant credit for wins against ranked opponents and for having a large number of players on the first-team or consensus All-America squads. The system also awards extra value for high rankings in Sports-Reference.com's simple rating system (SRS) and strength of schedule (SOS) metrics.
This evaluation system was designed to allow clubs from any era to be compared on a level field with teams from other eras. For example, the teams coached by Andy Gustafson and Charlie Tate should not be punished for playing in eras with fewer games per season than today's teams, but rather should be measured on the relative strength of their particular accomplishments.
The system was also adjusted to a 0-100 point scale, with 100 being the best ranking a team could possibly achieve.
1. Season: 2001
85.9 points (12-0, Big East and national champions)
Top players: Ken Dorsey, Bryant McKinnie, Ed Reed, Phillip Buchanon, Jeremy Shockey, Clinton Portis
This club makes a strong case to be regarded as the best team in college football history. It outscored opponents by a ridiculous 512-117 margin. The 2001 Hurricanes racked up back-to-back wins against Syracuse and Miami by a combined score of 124-7, which is the greatest two-game win margin over ranked teamsin college football history. The six players named to a first-team All-America squad were the highest number in this analysis in that category, as was the 26.2 SRS rating.
2. Season: 1987
82.6 points (12-0, national champion)
Top players: Bennie Blades, Daniel Stubbs, Steve Walsh, Michael Irvin, Melvin Bratton, Bill Hawkins
This was the first undefeated team in Miami history, and it didn't do so by facing cream-puff foes. The 1987 Hurricanes had more wins against Associated Press ranked foes than any team in this analysis (six), a factor that led to the second-highest overall schedule rating. The closest of those ranked battles was a classic 26-25 win over Florida State that started the idea that theHurricanes had a jinxon Bobby Bowden-coached teams.
3. Season: 1991
78.4 points (12-0, Big East and national champions)
Top players: Gino Torretta, Leon Searcy, Carlos Huerta, Darrin Smith, Darryl Williams
The 1991 Hurricanes placed five players on a first-team All-America squad, a total that tied for second in this analysis. Miami allowed 16 or fewer points in all but one of its contests and held six teams to a single-digit point total. The most impressive of those defensive performances was the shutout delivered to Nebraska in the 1992 Orange Bowl, as the Cornhuskers came into that contest averaging 41.3 points per game. Miami fans would probably say the most memorable game from this season was the 17-16 win over Florida State, better known asWide Right I.
4. Season: 1988
68.9 points (11-1)
Top players: Cleveland Gary, Bill Hawkins, Steve Walsh, Bobby Harden
How did this squad that didn't win a national championship rate over two of Miami's title teams? The 1988 Hurricanes had five wins over AP ranked foes and the third-toughest schedule rating in this analysis. This team held seven opponents to three or fewer points, a fact more notable since three of those foes were ranked in the AP top 10 at the time of the contest (Florida State, LSU and Nebraska). A 31-30 loss at No. 4 Notre Dame in a game that became known asCatholics vs. Convictswas the only thing that kept this team from winning a national championship.
5. Season: 1983
68.6 points (11-1, national champion)
Top players: Bernie Kosar, Albert Bentley, Jay Brophy, Eddie Brown
Miami's first national champion was also the first national title team to not have a player named to amajor first-team All-America squad. It was only the second national champion to have more passing yards than rushing yards. The Hurricanes came back from a humiliating 28-3 loss to Florida in the season opener to win 11 in a row, a streak that culminated when Miami stopped Nebraska's potential game-winning two-point attempt to winthe 1984 Orange Bowl.
Here's a more condensed look at the teams that rated 6-10.
6. Season: 2000
64.4 points (11-1, Big East champion)
Coach Butch Davis' last Miami team set the stage for the 2001 powerhouse, as the 2000 club won its last four contests by a combined score of 150-33. This club also put an end to a five-game losing streak against Florida State with a 27-24 victory.
7. Season: 1981
63.2 points (9-2)
Miami had lost to Notre Dame in 10 consecutive seasons prior to this season, but the 1981 Hurricanes put an end to that streak with a 37-15 win. The victory gave Miami a No. 8 ranking that was its second-highest AP postseason ranking in team history up to that point. This team also had the toughest schedule rating in this analysis.
8. Season: 1989
62.1 points (11-1, national champion)
A 24-10 midseason loss to Florida State dropped the 1989 Hurricanes to the No. 7 ranking in the AP poll. Miami was still No. 7 heading into a regular-season-ending battle against No. 1 Notre Dame. Miami's dominant 27-10 win in that contest, combined with some losses by other highly ranked teams, opened the door for the 1989 team to win a national championship by beating No. 7 Alabama in the 1990 Sugar Bowl.
9. Season: 1990
61.2 points (10-2)
The 1990 squad was the first Miami team to start the season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. A season-opening loss to Brigham Young and a midseason stumble against Notre Dame seemed to close the door to a memorable campaign, but this team closed with a six-game win streak by a combined score of 241-60 that set the stage for greater things to come in 1991.
10. Season: 1986
60.1 points (11-1)
This team's three consensus All-Americans (Jerome Brown, Vinny Testaverde and Benny Blades) tied for first in that category in this analysis. If not for the 14-10 loss to Penn State in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, this team would likely have ranked among the top three on this list.
Finally, here are the teams that rated 11-22.
11. 2002, 54.9 points (12-1, Big East champion)
12. 1992, 54.3 points (11-1, Big East champion)
13. 1956, 54.1 points (8-1-1)
14. 1966, 50.3 points (8-2-1)
15. 2003, 48.2 points (11-2, Big East champion)
16. 1994, 47.4 points (10-2, Big East champion)
17. 1985, 46.5 points (10-2)
18. 1954, 39.4 points (8-1)
19. 1996, 30.7 points (9-3, Big East champion)
20. 1945, 30.4 points (9-1-1)
21. 1995, 23.3 points (8-3, Big East champion)
22. 1950, 22.6 points (9-1-1)
TheMiami Hurricanes have won five national championships, a total that tops their two in-state rivals, Florida and Florida State, who each have three.
So where do those Miami title squads rank among the best Hurricanes teams of all time?
To find out, I set up a grading system that is customized to measure many factors of Miami's greatest teams.
The system uses a weighted bell curve that places a heavy emphasis on winning national championships, but also gives significant credit for wins against ranked opponents and for having a large number of players on the first-team or consensus All-America squads. The system also awards extra value for high rankings in Sports-Reference.com's simple rating system (SRS) and strength of schedule (SOS) metrics.
This evaluation system was designed to allow clubs from any era to be compared on a level field with teams from other eras. For example, the teams coached by Andy Gustafson and Charlie Tate should not be punished for playing in eras with fewer games per season than today's teams, but rather should be measured on the relative strength of their particular accomplishments.
The system was also adjusted to a 0-100 point scale, with 100 being the best ranking a team could possibly achieve.
1. Season: 2001
85.9 points (12-0, Big East and national champions)
Top players: Ken Dorsey, Bryant McKinnie, Ed Reed, Phillip Buchanon, Jeremy Shockey, Clinton Portis
This club makes a strong case to be regarded as the best team in college football history. It outscored opponents by a ridiculous 512-117 margin. The 2001 Hurricanes racked up back-to-back wins against Syracuse and Miami by a combined score of 124-7, which is the greatest two-game win margin over ranked teamsin college football history. The six players named to a first-team All-America squad were the highest number in this analysis in that category, as was the 26.2 SRS rating.
2. Season: 1987
82.6 points (12-0, national champion)
Top players: Bennie Blades, Daniel Stubbs, Steve Walsh, Michael Irvin, Melvin Bratton, Bill Hawkins
This was the first undefeated team in Miami history, and it didn't do so by facing cream-puff foes. The 1987 Hurricanes had more wins against Associated Press ranked foes than any team in this analysis (six), a factor that led to the second-highest overall schedule rating. The closest of those ranked battles was a classic 26-25 win over Florida State that started the idea that theHurricanes had a jinxon Bobby Bowden-coached teams.
3. Season: 1991
78.4 points (12-0, Big East and national champions)
Top players: Gino Torretta, Leon Searcy, Carlos Huerta, Darrin Smith, Darryl Williams
The 1991 Hurricanes placed five players on a first-team All-America squad, a total that tied for second in this analysis. Miami allowed 16 or fewer points in all but one of its contests and held six teams to a single-digit point total. The most impressive of those defensive performances was the shutout delivered to Nebraska in the 1992 Orange Bowl, as the Cornhuskers came into that contest averaging 41.3 points per game. Miami fans would probably say the most memorable game from this season was the 17-16 win over Florida State, better known asWide Right I.
4. Season: 1988
68.9 points (11-1)
Top players: Cleveland Gary, Bill Hawkins, Steve Walsh, Bobby Harden
How did this squad that didn't win a national championship rate over two of Miami's title teams? The 1988 Hurricanes had five wins over AP ranked foes and the third-toughest schedule rating in this analysis. This team held seven opponents to three or fewer points, a fact more notable since three of those foes were ranked in the AP top 10 at the time of the contest (Florida State, LSU and Nebraska). A 31-30 loss at No. 4 Notre Dame in a game that became known asCatholics vs. Convictswas the only thing that kept this team from winning a national championship.
5. Season: 1983
68.6 points (11-1, national champion)
Top players: Bernie Kosar, Albert Bentley, Jay Brophy, Eddie Brown
Miami's first national champion was also the first national title team to not have a player named to amajor first-team All-America squad. It was only the second national champion to have more passing yards than rushing yards. The Hurricanes came back from a humiliating 28-3 loss to Florida in the season opener to win 11 in a row, a streak that culminated when Miami stopped Nebraska's potential game-winning two-point attempt to winthe 1984 Orange Bowl.
Here's a more condensed look at the teams that rated 6-10.
6. Season: 2000
64.4 points (11-1, Big East champion)
Coach Butch Davis' last Miami team set the stage for the 2001 powerhouse, as the 2000 club won its last four contests by a combined score of 150-33. This club also put an end to a five-game losing streak against Florida State with a 27-24 victory.
7. Season: 1981
63.2 points (9-2)
Miami had lost to Notre Dame in 10 consecutive seasons prior to this season, but the 1981 Hurricanes put an end to that streak with a 37-15 win. The victory gave Miami a No. 8 ranking that was its second-highest AP postseason ranking in team history up to that point. This team also had the toughest schedule rating in this analysis.
8. Season: 1989
62.1 points (11-1, national champion)
A 24-10 midseason loss to Florida State dropped the 1989 Hurricanes to the No. 7 ranking in the AP poll. Miami was still No. 7 heading into a regular-season-ending battle against No. 1 Notre Dame. Miami's dominant 27-10 win in that contest, combined with some losses by other highly ranked teams, opened the door for the 1989 team to win a national championship by beating No. 7 Alabama in the 1990 Sugar Bowl.
9. Season: 1990
61.2 points (10-2)
The 1990 squad was the first Miami team to start the season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. A season-opening loss to Brigham Young and a midseason stumble against Notre Dame seemed to close the door to a memorable campaign, but this team closed with a six-game win streak by a combined score of 241-60 that set the stage for greater things to come in 1991.
10. Season: 1986
60.1 points (11-1)
This team's three consensus All-Americans (Jerome Brown, Vinny Testaverde and Benny Blades) tied for first in that category in this analysis. If not for the 14-10 loss to Penn State in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, this team would likely have ranked among the top three on this list.
Finally, here are the teams that rated 11-22.
11. 2002, 54.9 points (12-1, Big East champion)
12. 1992, 54.3 points (11-1, Big East champion)
13. 1956, 54.1 points (8-1-1)
14. 1966, 50.3 points (8-2-1)
15. 2003, 48.2 points (11-2, Big East champion)
16. 1994, 47.4 points (10-2, Big East champion)
17. 1985, 46.5 points (10-2)
18. 1954, 39.4 points (8-1)
19. 1996, 30.7 points (9-3, Big East champion)
20. 1945, 30.4 points (9-1-1)
21. 1995, 23.3 points (8-3, Big East champion)
22. 1950, 22.6 points (9-1-1)
